Utilization of forage from intensive feed garden as supplemented roughages for goat raising
 

Kanitta Tikam, Choke Mikled* Theera Visitpanich, Supharoek Nakkitset* and Wichit Sonloi*

 ^*Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Thailand
^{agani008@chiangmai.ac.th
*} Royal Project Foundation, Thailand

 The major feed resources for goats available in the Royal Project Foundation areas are mainly natural grasses and crop residues. A study of utilisation of forage from Intensive Feed Garden (IFG) as supplemented roughages for goat raising were carried out at the Huy Nam Rin (Site 1), Mae Lord (Site 2) Royal Project Development Centres and Mae Hia Research and Demonstration Farm of the Royal Project Foundation (Site 3).

The leguminous trees and shrubs-Gliricidia, Mulberry, Trichanthera and grasses – Napier grass and Guinea grass were planted in a small plot of 10 x 20 m. followed Intensive Feed Garden (IFG) system at each location. At each site the 5 female goats and 1 male goat were raised and only young born growing goats were monthly weighed to follow growth performance.

The DM of Trichanthera, Napier grass, Guinea grass, Gliricidia and Mulberry were 169.60, 192.20, 216.90, 239.40 and 263.80 g/ kg DM, respectively. The DM yield of Guinea grass, Mulberry, Napier grass, Trichanthera and Gliricidia were 27.7, 34.9, 43.8, 45.6 and 53.3 kg/ 10 m², respectively. The average daily gains of growing goats at 3 Sites were 120, 90 and 60 g/d, respectively.

Keywords: Intensive Feed Garden (IFG),Trichanthera, Gliricidia, Mulberry, Napier grass and Guinea grass